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The selected restaurants have been divided into five categories: Gourmet, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines rather than absolute definitions of the establishments.

Restaurant prices are subject to IVA (value added tax) at 10% but this is always included within the prices given. A 15% service charge is usually added to the bill at the end. It is customary for patrons to round up the bill and leave a tip (maximum 10%) as well, if the meal and service have been good.

The restaurants

below have been grouped into four different pricing categories:
$$$$ (over €65)
$$$ (€45 to €65)
$$ (€25 to €45)
$ (under €25)
The prices quoted here are for an average three-course meal for one person and for a bottle of house wine or the cheapest equivalent. Prices include IVA but do not include service charge or tip.

Gourmet

Cantinetta Antinori

Housed in the family’s elegant palazzo near Santa Maria Novella, this refined restaurant pitches super-Tuscans and great Chiantis from the extensive Antorini estates. Subtle food flavors, often using ingredients grown on the same estates as the vines, predominate on the menu and accompany diners in their vinous deliberations. One example are the involtini (rolls) of glazed veal and artichokes cooked in white wine with spring onions. Seasonal ingredients are often used, while for dessert, diners can sit around the dark wooden tables, musing as they sip the sweet Vin Santo served with cantuccini biscuits. Closed at weekends, open weekdays 1230-1530 and 1900-2230.

Palazzo Antinori, Piazza Antinori 3
Tel: (055) 292 234.
Website: www.antinori.it
Price: $$$$

Enoteca Pinchiorri

Immaculate linen and crystal glassware top the tables at Florence’s most famous restaurant, which boasts three Michelin stars. At the heart of the historic city, near Santa Croce, finely dressed diners expect to be impressed by French chef Annie Feolde’s haute cuisine matched with owner Giorgio Pinchiorri’s collection of magnificent wines. The uninitiated can select a menu degustazione to enjoy the sophisticated harmony of flavor, born of matchless French technique and Italian economy of ingredients, such as winter red cabbage ravioli served with pumpkin sauce. Portions are dainty, in true nouvelle cuisine fashion. Closed Sun and Monday and lunchtime Tuesday and Wednesday. Also closed in August.

Via Ghibellina 87
Tel: (055) 242 777.
Website: www.enotecapinchiorri.it
Price: $$$$

Il Cibreo

In the buzzing markets of Sant’Ambrogio, Fabio Picchi’s renowned restaurant and trattoria, Il Cibreo, has made an art form of jazzing up rustic Florentine ingredients and has a legendary reputation. Especially recommended are the passato di peperoni gialli (a yellow pepper soup), and spiced candied fruit mostarda (a type of condiment) eaten with local cheeses. There is always a dish suitable for vegetarians. It is advisable for guests to reserve for premium service in the restaurant or take a chance at the Cibreino trattoria next door, where diners jostle for the marble-top tables and pay half the price. Closed 29 July-1 September and from 31 December-9 January, also closed Sunday and Monday.

Via de’ Macci 118r
Tel: (055) 234 1100.
Website: www.cibreo.com
Price: $$$$

Trendy

Acqua al 2

This modern and cheery bistro fizzes with atmosphere. Diners encounter an intimate locale, where art, fashion and food draw a mixed late-night crowd of journalists, American students, actors and cognoscenti. The menu offers dishes such as cannelloni with marscapone and mushrooms, and taster platters, such as strips of beef served with a choice of dipping sauces, and selections of salads, pasta, cheeses and excellent wines. Open daily 1930-0100.

Via Vigna Vecchia 40r
Tel: (055) 284 170.
Website: www.acquaal2.it
Price: $$

Angels

This cool, contemporary restaurant attracts a fashionable crowd of 20- and 30-something locals. The ornate coffered ceiling (covered in winter with white drapes) and exquisite stained glass windows, are complemented by simple dark wood tables and low white seats. The menu changes regularly and features seasonal produce. Dishes might include tagliatelle with pheasant sauce, beef fillets with black truffle sauce, or wild boar loin cooked in Brunello wine and served with polenta. There is also an American bar which serves aperitifs with a good selection of antipasti early in the evening. Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Via del Proconsolo 29/31
Tel: (055) 239 8762.
Website: www.ristoranteangels.it
Price: $$$

Osteria Caffé Italiano

This Santa Croce trattoria is very much in vogue, drawing Hollywood stars and ambassadors with its old-world rustic charm. Osteria Caffè Italiano’s style is to serve simple Tuscan dishes... extremely well. Dark wooden cabinets groan with salamis and bottles of wine in the front room, while waiters (busy with platters of freshly sliced meats, lasagne, pork steaks, roasted vegetables and pecorino cheese) bustle about under the chandeliers in the large, vaulted dining room behind. Service can be slow. Closed Monday.

Via Isola delle Stinche 11/13r
Tel: (055) 289 080 or 289 368.
Price: $$

Ristorante Beccofino

This fashionable wine bar attracts young Florentines, who like its sleek, contemporary surroundings and the chef’s modern take on Tuscan food. There’s an outdoor terrace where drinks and meals can be taken on warm summer nights. Dishes change regularly but might include risotto with pear and pecorino cheese, or guinea fowl with cabbage. Open for lunch and dinner Tuesday-Sunday.

Piazza Scarlatti 1r
Tel: (055) 290 076.
Price: $$

Yab

From May to September, Florence’s funkiest love to grab a late night bite in the restaurant and pay too much for their drinks at this city center nightclub, located behind the main post office. Loud techno may encourage anonymity and discourage conversation but this is a popular choice for those wanting to strut their stuff in front of the mirrors. Bites include antipasti, a bowl of penne pasta with tomato and basil sauce, crepes with artichokes or crostini (toasted ciabatta topped with Tuscan liver paste). Food is served from 2130 and reservations are required.

Via Sassetti 5r
Tel: (055) 215 160.
Website: www.yab.it
Price: $

Budget

Alle Mossacce

Situated between the cathedral and the Bargello Museum, this trattoria, the name of which roughly translates as ‘crude in manner’, cannot be beaten on value for money. There are no reservations and the owners pack in as many people as they can. Diners sit at wooden tables and all seem happy with the service and the simple jugs of red wine that accompany steaming plates of pasta. Variations include firm favorites such as hearty Tuscan ribollita (bread and vegetable soup), spaghetti alle vongole (with mussels) and lasagne al forno. There’s a multilingual menu, advance bookings are not taken and the restaurant is closed at the weekend, during holidays and in August.

Via del Proconsolo 55r
Tel: (055) 294 361.
Website: www.trattorialemossacce.it
Price: $

Antico Ristoro di Cambi

This family-run restaurant overlooking the Arno has 60 places outside and about the same amount inside. It is a very traditional Tuscan trattoria, with bare brick walls and a warm welcome from owner Fabio Cambi. The antipasti and the bistecca alla fiorentina (a T-bone steak dabbed with virgin olive oil and cooked over glowing charcoal) are both excellent. There are also dishes such as penne with pumpkin flowers for vegetarians. Desserts include traditional favorites such as tiramisu and chocolate tart. This venue is always deservedly popular, particularly on a hot summer’s day. Closed Sunday.

Via San Onofrio 1r
Tel: (055) 217 134.
Website: www.anticoristorodicambi.it
Price: $

Filipepe

This chic, bustling wine and cheese bar near the Ponte Vecchio attracts a wide mix of diners, who come for creative food and sleek surroundings. Drawing on traditions from various parts of Italy, dishes included seasonal soups, imaginative salads, crostini - perhaps topped with anchovies and tomato mousse, and a range of hot main courses such as pici with cep sauce. Desserts are a particular draw and might include fig tart, or warm strawberry cake with lemon sauce.

Via San Niccolo 43
Tel: (055) 200 1397.
Website: www.filipepe.com
Price: $

Il Pizzaiuolo

This extremely popular, rustic pizzeria serves traditional Neapolitan pizzas - fluffy around the edges, rather than hard like Florentine pizzas. It has no-frills surroundings and you might have to share a table. Around 30 different varieties of pizza are on offer. The restaurant is closed in August and on Sunday. It gets very busy so you are advised to book.

Via dei Macci 113r
Tel: (055) 241 171.
Price: $

Trattoria Borgo Antico

The location of this pizzeria, on the small square below Brunelleschi’s clean-lined church of Santo Spirito, draws a young and trendy crowd, especially during the summer, when tables are laid outside. The service can be slapdash and the music loud but the buzz and the great pizzas (covered with everything from gorgonzola and ham to four cheeses) served on brightly colored plates, more than compensate. Diners should reserve a spot in advance, as the restaurant tends to get busy. Open daily.

Piazza Santo Spirito 6r
Tel: (055) 210 437.
Price: $

Trattoria Ruggero

Located just outside the southern city walls, at the Porta Romana, Ruggero’s is a popular lunchtime hangout, crowded with Italian clerks and sales reps during the week and families at the weekend. The menu features Tuscan specialties. Hearty soups such as ribollita and main courses of roast and boiled meats favor winter dining, as does the snug and sociable atmosphere. Reservations advised as it does get busy.

Via Senese 89r
Tel: (055) 220 542.
Price: $

Personal Recommendations

Cantinetta dei Verrazzano

This gastrodome near the Ponte Vecchio incorporates a deli offering wonderful sausages and cold meats, a bakery with tempting pastries and tarts, a coffee bar and a sales outlet for the wines of the prestigious Chianti vineyards of Castello di Verrazzano. Solitary diners and those short of time will appreciate the Cantinetta dei Verrazzano’s convenience, as well as the delectable specialties, including savoury filled foccacia bread and a delicious array of crostini and cold meats, which can be sampled with the estate’s wines at the tables. The decor is warm and inviting, with rustic yet elegant terracotta floors, marble surfaces, large mirrors and dark wood furnishings. Closed Sunday.

Via dei Tavolini 18-20r
Tel: (055) 268 590.
Price: $

Enoteca Pane e Vino

Set one block back from the Arno, Pane e Vino is known as the poor man’s Enoteca Pinchiorri (see above). The surroundings are rustic and atmosphere relaxed. The creative set menu has tempting offerings, such as fried courgette flowers, pecorino cheese flan and herb stuffed chicken, on a menu that changes daily. Otherwise diners can tuck into plates of cold meats, sausages and cheese with wine, served by the glass or bottle, from the excellent list. Open evening only, and closed Sunday, and 7-21 August.

Piazza di Cestello 3r
Tel: (055) 247 6956.
Price: $$

Il Latini

Under hams dangling from the rafters, waiters run between packed, long tables and the walls are crammed with photos of writers in this old-fashioned, refectory-style trattoria - holder of a Michelin Bib Gourmand. The Latini family encourages the sense of fun with helpful service and home cooking of hearty bean and vegetable soups, stews, wild boar steaks and hand-cut cold meats. Closed Monday.

Via dei Palchetti 6r
Tel: (055) 210 916.
Website: www.illatini.com
Price: $$

Ristorante la Giostra

Owned by a Hapsburg prince, this restaurant is hidden away near the San Piero arch, but just a short walk from the Duomo. Cosy inside, it is busy at lunchtime but the atmosphere becomes more intimate in the evening, making it perfect for a romantic evening meal. Flavours are mainly Tuscan, but with some Austrian influence evident. The menu changes with the seasons but might include hand-made pasta with white truffles, ravioli with brie, and filet of Chianina beef. Desserts are both Italian and Viennese - Sacher torte and tiramisu both put in an appearance.

Via Borgo Pinti 12r
Tel: (055) 241 341.
Website: www.ristorantelagiostra.com
Price: $$-$$$

Ristorante Rossini

On the ground floor of an old palazzo, this restaurant near the Ponte Vecchio serves creative Tuscan and Italian dishes, prepared by young chef Andrea Mazzoni. Menus change regularly to reflect the seasons. Diners can try the set tasting menu, which includes dishes such as sea snails with buttered tortellini, or choose a la carte dishes such as chestnut flour crepes with ricotta, and sea bass in black olive sauce with pea shoots. Desserts are equally imaginative and might include chocolate fondant with goat’s milk ice cream and eucalyptus yogurt. Open for lunch 1230-1430 and dinner 1930-2230.

Lungarno Corsini 4
Tel: (055) 239 9224.
Website: www.ristoranterossini.it
Price: $$$-$$$$

Nightlife:

Florence’s nightlife is fuelled by the city’s well-heeled, foreign students who come to study Italian and History of Art. Old World meets New World, as gangs of silver-tongued Romeos gather to admire leggy American blondes.

Despite a minimum drinking age of 18, partying in Florence is a determinedly young scene, with students fresh out of school getting their first taste of freedom and enjoying the proliferation of inexpensive wine and flexible licensing hours - some pubs stay open until 0100 or even 0300. The most bohemian area is the Oltrarno, south of the river, where bright young things can play until the small hours. Elsewhere, nightlife is concentrated around Piazza della Signoria, home of more sedate venues.

Florentines, like most Italians, are self-consciously stylish with a definite lean towards smart, conservative dress. Dress up, take a pew outside one of the city’s elegant cafes and enjoy being admired in a city where beauty is taken for granted.

As with any university city, bars and clubs experience peaks and troughs of popularity. To find out where the action is, buy Firenze Spettacolo (website: www.firenzespettacolo.it) - the city’s definitive entertainment publication. Information for clubs and live music events can be found online (website: www.vivifirenze.it).

Bars: For a glimpse of an authentic Italian watering hole, wend your way to Le Volpi and L’ Uve, Piazza de’Rossi 1, to sample some of the best wines the region has to offer. The owners, Riccardo and Emilio, can advise a plate of salami and cheese to accompany your choice of wine. Rex Cafe, Via Fiesolana 25R, is a sound bet for chic company, good mixers and tasty tapas, while for great snacks in the city center, try Cantinetta del Verrazzono, Via dei Tavolini 18-20R. Strictly for homesick expats is the Fiddler’s Elbow, Piazza Santa Maria Novella 7R, an Irish-style pub with satellite TV, a good line in Guinness and would-be Celts. South of the river, La Dolce Vita, Piazza del Carmine, is more laid-back and popular with students who spill out onto the piazza. Then there is tiny Vini, Via dei Cimatori 38, a simple wine counter (one of the last in the city) founded in 1875. Just stand on the pavement with the other customers and enjoy the wine. There is old-fashioned appeal at Casa del Vino, Via del Ariento 16R, situated close to the central market. Latin music lovers should head for Girasol Latin Bar, Via del Romito 1, near the Fortezza, which serves up cocktails, antipasti and Latin beats. Cocktail lovers should also try Café de Paris, Piazza Dalmazia 7R, which serves around 120 pick me ups along with a selection of antipasti or Angels American Bar, Via del Proconsolo 29, which serves a good vodka sour.

Clubs: Central Park, Via Fosso Macinante, on the outskirts of Florence in Parco delle Cascine, is the place to be seen. Florentines flock here for the latest in music trends, although transport can be difficult for those without a car. Tenax, Via Pratese, in the Peretola district, is one of the most popular discos in town, a favorite with the young crowd. It also stages live concerts. Meccano, Viale degli Olmi 1, is self-consciously hip, while Dolce Zucchero, Via Pandolfini 36, is a small club that quickly fills up with dancers. Universale, situated on the banks of the Arno, at Via Pisana 77R, is an altogether more upmarket venue, and Yab, Via Sassetti 5R, is extremely trendy playing everything from hip-hop on Mondays to disco on Thursdays. Soulciety Club, Via San Zanobi, is a little known club that attracts a lively crowd at the weekend. It is a great spot for funk, hip hop and soul. Noir Lungarno, Corsinini 12/14R is a club that offers a buffet and DJ set, while Costes, Via Provinicale Lucchese 84, has house music from Thursday to Saturday. Finally, if your fancy footwork stretches to the samba, head for Maracana, Via Faenza 4, a lively Brazilian themed spot for swinging your hips, or Jaragua, Via Erta Canina 12R, where you can dance to Latin music and also learn how to salsa.

Live Music: Florence does not have a great deal of choice when it comes to live music but you can hear some good sounds at Be Bop, Via dei Servi 76, a cocktail bar specializing in live jazz and rock music. Or you can try The Jazz Club, Via Nuova dei Caccini 3, which serves up live music every Friday and Saturday. The Chiodo Fisso club, Via Dante Alighieri 16R, offers a varied repertoire and is popular with the locals, Yab, Via Sassetti 5R, has some live music nights, while Eskimo, Via de’Canacci 12R, has a wide range of live music Further out, near the airport, Tenax, Via Pratese 46, has a live music auditorium, which doubles as a dancefloor. Auditorium Flog, Via M Mercati 24B, another student dive in the suburbs, is strong on contemporary young DJs and the Indie scene, and out of town at Osmannoro is Omni Club which also has some live music. Near the Fortezza is Girasol Latin Bar, Via del Romito 1, which has everything from Brazilian to Cuban beats. At Astor Caffe, Piazza Duomo, you can often catch a live band playing, while Caffe la Torre, Lungarno Cellini 65R, which is famous for its aperitifs, also serves up jazz, blues and Latin beats.

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